Coffee Cart Hire for Birthdays, Showers and Celebrations
Not every occasion needs a bar. 2nd Rule Coffee brings a full-service mobile coffee cart to birthdays, baby showers, graduations and family gatherings across Princeton, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County and the rest of New Jersey. A trained barista, a cart that fits almost anywhere, and coffee worth gathering around.
Occasions We Serve
Birthdays and milestone parties
From a 30th in the backyard to a 70th in a hall. For adult birthdays, our latte art workshop doubles as the entertainment.
Graduations and end-of-year gatherings
Outdoor, warm weather, lots of people arriving at once. Our unplugged nitro cold brew bar was built for exactly this.
Holiday parties and open houses
Warm drinks, an affogato station, and something for guests to come back to through the evening.
Baby showers and bridal showers
A daytime celebration where a coffee bar fits the mood far better than an open bar, and where guests who are not drinking are properly looked after.
Anniversaries and family gatherings
A quieter format for smaller groups, where the barista becomes part of the afternoon rather than a service in the corner.
Celebrations of life and memorials
A quiet, warm presence at a difficult gathering. We keep the setup unobtrusive and let people come to us.
Packages for Celebrations
Every booking is tailored to your guest count and your space. These are the starting points.
Affogato Dessert Bar: the crowd favorite
Rich espresso poured over artisanal ice cream, sourced from The Bent Spoon in Princeton and churned fresh for your event. Dessert and a pick-me-up in one cup. Ideal for up to 70 guests, with packages serving up to 500.
Starting at $615 for two hours
Open Espresso Bar
A dedicated barista serving espresso, americano, cappuccino, latte and organic hot teas. Ideal for up to 75 guests.
Starting at $775 for two hours, with additional hours available
Nitro Cold Brew Bar: for outdoor and summer parties
A completely unplugged draft bar pouring nitro cold brew steeped for 24 hours, with the option of iced tea or lemonade alongside for guests who do not want caffeine. Serves 50 to 200 guests and needs no power.
Starting at $410 for two hours
Intro to Latte Art Workshop: for adult birthdays
A privately instructed two-hour workshop where everyone learns espresso and milk theory, pours their own latte art and finishes with a friendly competition. Best experience is a maximum of six students, so it suits small celebrations.
Starting at $450 plus travel, including four students
Additional students $40 each
What Every Booking Includes
Your own coffee cart and a dedicated barista
All milks and fixings
Delivery, setup and breakdown
Water supply, paper goods and music
Optional add-ons: non-coffee options, a customized menu, an affogato station and housemade baked goods.
What We Need at Your Venue
A clear spot to park and unload our vehicle.
A wheelchair-accessible loading path from our unloading spot to the coffee cart setup site, free of grass, gravel, steps, and floor transition lips greater than a 1/2" rise.
An 8' wide x 7' deep level space for the cart, indoors or outdoors.
Sole access to 2 standard (15 AMP) 3-prong outlets within 50 ft of the cart. The entire circuit (not just the outlet) cannot be shared with any other appliance or vendor. Failing to provide a dedicated circuit may cause the circuit to trip and disrupt our brewing service. The Nitro Cold Brew Bar needs no power.
Outdoor setups: sun cover over the cart (we can provide a 10x10 canopy tent for a $20 fee) and a temperature of 50ºF or above. See the FAQ below for cooler days.
Household residences: please secure all pets during our load-in. Our baristas must keep their shoes on indoors (e.g. private residences).
Time to set up and break down: setup takes 75 minutes and breakdown takes 60 minutes.
Backyards, halls, driveways and community rooms all work. If you are not sure your space fits, send us a photo and we will tell you.
What Our Clients Say
"I just want to say WOW and THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!!!! Gloria and Claire were AMAZING and the coffee cart was a huge hit at my baby shower this past Sunday. They were prompt, friendly, and so welcoming to the guest and made sure I had my coffee lol. The drinks were AMAZING! The coffee so fresh, tea was perfect, the setup was gorgeous, the flavors delicious (the lavender was a hit), and definitely got my money’s worth. My sister was even looking to see if you they had a store so she could grab a cup today lol. I just want to thank Carol, Gloria, and Claire again and I highly recommend you book them for events. I’m definitely keeping them first in mind for future events."
— Marlene, Baby Shower
"We had 2nd Rule Coffee at our baby's 1st birthday party and it was a huge hit! Everything from communication with Carol in the beginning to end and the experience itself went smoothly. This is actually the 2nd time we hired them for a family event, the first being at my brother's wedding. Guests loved the coffee and experience at both events. I would highly recommend 2nd Rule Coffee at your next occasion!"
— Thariha, Birthday
Where We Serve in New Jersey
We are based in Kendall Park, South Brunswick, and serve celebrations across New Jersey, with most of our bookings in:
Princeton and Mercer County
South Brunswick and Middlesex County
Monmouth County
The wider New Jersey area
Travel fees are based on the one-way distance from our home base in Kendall Park, NJ to your event location.
| Distance from Kendall Park, NJ (one way) | Travel Fee |
|---|---|
| 0 to 25 miles | $50 |
| 26 to 50 miles | $100 |
| 51 to 75 miles | $150 |
| 76 to 100 miles | $200 |
Events in New York have separate travel rates. Contact us for a quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
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We serve events of 50 to 1,000 guests. The one exception is our Intro to Latte Art Workshop, a private two-hour class that includes four students and is best with a maximum of six.
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Yes. We work indoors and outdoors, and the Nitro Cold Brew Bar needs no power at all, so a backyard or driveway is no problem. Our team only serves outdoors where the temperature is 50ºF and above, or as low as 40ºF where the host provides a heated tent or patio heater, with a 15% service fee on the invoice. Sun cover is required for all events. We can provide a 10x10 canopy tent for a $20 fee.
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Yes. We serve a variety of 4 RISHI organic hot teas (2 caffeinated, 2 non-caffeinated). Decaf organic beans can be roasted fresh for your event for a flat fee. We also offer other non-coffee and decaf add-ons, including locally ground Ooika matcha, organic dark hot cocoa, organic RISHI iced teas (served with garnish) and organic lemonade (served with garnish). We can also pour iced tea or lemonade alongside the Nitro Cold Brew Bar.
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Yes. We can serve ice cream without espresso for younger guests, and decaf affogato is available (decaf organic beans are roasted fresh for your event for a flat fee).
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Weekends begin booking a year in advance, so inquire early. For Monday to Friday events, we suggest booking 1 to 2 months in advance, but we can accommodate last-minute bookings if we are available.
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A 25% non-refundable deposit holds the date of your event and is applied toward your total balance. The final balance is due 14 days before your event and is refundable. Cancellations at any time will be refunded, less the initial 25% deposit and applicable payment processing fees. Cancellations within 24 hours of the event will be refunded 50% of the invoice, less applicable payment processing fees.
Book Your Celebration
Tell us the occasion, your date, your location and roughly how many guests, and we will send a custom quote including travel to your area.
Call or text: (732) 510-5091
Email: hello@2ndrulecoffee.com